Teams: Softball: Press Releases

Monday, May 7, 2007

TINKER, TONG ARE NESCAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK AS TUFTS WINS CHAMPIONSHIP

MEDFORD -- The 2007 Tufts University softball team won the NESCAC Championship with a 3-0 weekend at home, and two first-year players were key contributors. Christy Tinker (Woodbridge, CT/Amity) and Stefanie Tong (Burlingame, CA/University School) are the conference's Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, based on their performances in the championship tournament.

Tinker hit .667 (6/9) with a home run, six RBIs, and three runs scored during the weekend. She went 2 for 3 in all three games, and had RBIs in each. She hit a three-run home run against Wesleyan in the first game on Friday to put it out of reach. She also scored twice in that game, an 11-2 Jumbo victory in five innings. In the winner's bracket against Williams on Saturday, a 5-3 Tufts win, Tinker had a two-run single that provided the game-winning RBIs in the fifth inning. In the championship game against Trinity, she hit a two-out, run-scoring single in the sixth inning that helped Tufts open up a 5-0 lead. Tinker also handled 15 fielding chances perfectly at first base.

Tong pitched in all three tournament games for the Jumbos, earning the win in the championship game and a save in the winner's bracket game against Williams. In the first game against Wesleyan, she got the final two outs on strikeouts. Against Williams, she got the final two outs with the tying run at the plate. In the final, she went four innings allowing two hits and two walks before leaving with an injury. Overall, Tong did not allow a run in 5.1 innings of work, allowing just two hits.

Tinker and Tong are two members of a Tufts roster stacked with young talent by head coach Cheryl Milligan and her staff. Tong is ranked third in NESCAC with a 2.05 earned run average, accumulating a 7-4 record with two saves. Tinker is hitting .363 and is among the conference's leaders with 33 RBIs, nine doubles and 64 total bases.

Tufts won its fourth NESCAC championship overall, but its first since 2003. They will play in the NCAA Tournament New England Regional at Rhode Island College in Providence starting on Thursday (May 10). The Jumbos play Emerson College in the first round at 4:00 pm. Tufts is 28-11 overall.

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